The 10th Verona Challenge Cup – 2014

The Verona Cup has now seen 10 glorious performances – each one unique and memorable in their Houses creation, each one an outstanding part of PACE performance history, a show provenance to be proud of.

Any artistic retrospective of work is an immense challenge, none more so than with this year’s remit for Verona 14, a creative muse that asks its’ two houses – the House of Capulet and the House of Montague – to consider the creative heritage of all the challenges that came before:

A look back, in wonder…

The Verona Cup Challenge has always been about pushing the boundaries of what is expected of young artists and performers.

It has never been enough, to simply write a challenge, directed towards a younger age group; Verona must always stand for the zenith of any creativity – the extraordinary way beyond what’s difficult , the vibrant energy and power of a more heartfelt creation , the camaraderie of those who are bound together for a higher “youthful theatre purpose“

It says:

“look what we can do, how we roar on stage , how we shine like true stars!“

It is not enough to just make the Verona Challenge fit “the cast”, it is more about making a cast truthfully embrace “the art of the challenge”.

We have never scrimped with what we have challenged our Youth; we never doubted for a moment that it would ever not come to our Wynd stage.

Each brief is the result of a singular inspired muse, each challenge, to bring its drama – to the PACE stage. And each year, the magic is there to behold.

The best of Verona PACE have been and gone – their Verona paths, each a journey of self discovery, of belonging to “ the red “ or “ the white “ , of feeling a part of the honour code of what came before.

From 2005 when the very first Verona Cup was handed to House of Montague, till now , many PACE have experienced that feeling of euphoria, of unbridled elation when their House finally lifts the coveted trophy for their endeavour – the blood, sweat and tears that go into making a Verona performance, worthy of creative victory , worthy of the Verona Cup stage.

This is our World Cup, our Brazil, our Goetze Goal!

The golden footstep of each Verona Yesterday is still there , etched in performance gold , a message to all who now travel onwards , on this our tenth glistening way:

“… be brave, be breath-taking, be extra-ordinary in your colourful way; for yours is now the greatest challenge of all, yours is the culmination of all our endeavours, the creative soul of all our plays…”

If you would like to be part of the Golden Anniversary PACE production of the Verona Cup Challenge 2104, and are currently a member of PACE Youth Theatre and in Secondary or Further Education, please email us on the address below

We will be auditioning soon for 2 special Anniversary performance chorus for this production, as well as for additions to the main cast players for each house.

Rehearsals for Verona 2014 will begin as soon as School / PACE term begins, although creative teams for the shows will be in place and working on their productions well before that.

The dates of the Verona Cup Challenge (Verona 10) will be Thursday 2nd – Saturday 4th October 2014.

There will be 2 performances and a gala night celebration for this year’s event.

This opportunity is open to all existing PACE members age 12 and above; a group of younger PACE members may also be used however later on in the rehearsal period.

We want to make this the greatest show ever, we want to celebrate Verona 2014 with the whole of PACE Youth in some way, either as performers, as audience or just as part of this incredible achievement; an achievement that has spanned a decade and seen a thousand PACE

Blaze their trail in our starry sky.

Now what can be more exciting than that …

News of audition dates will follow once, we receive confirmation of your interest.